One of the great things about being a xreator in the age of connection is the inspiration we get from one another. Inspiration motivates us to step our game up and it is in that spirit that I present 'The Strange & Beautiful' XR Art challenge!

In collaboration with the official 'XR Artists' group on Facebook, we have conspired to inspire. There are no rules as the broad nature of xrt extends itself to formats new and old. So what we have are guidelines:

Official Guidelines:

1. Submissions must incorporate the use of Virtual, Augmented or Mixed Reality in it's creation and/or final presentation. Hybrid use of technologies is what the group is all about so go ahead and get strange...because it's beautiful.

Update 8/28/18: Work done prior to this challenge is totally game. You can be submit past work with no restrictions.

The moderators of the XR Artists FB group and I will critique the submissions and may choose to award winners based on the type of submission entered, which means someone may rock 'Best Model' while another may own a category onto themselves such as 'Best Music Video'. It is impossible to say now until all submissions are counted for.

How to Submit:

1. Join the Facebook Group and submit your work on the wall with the hashtag #StrangeandBeautifulXR. Alternatively you can #StrangeandBeautifulXR on Twitter and Instagram!

Submit your work in the manner which you feel best showcases your intention. If your work is immersive in nature, please send us information on how to experience it (links, files, etc).

If you do not have a Facebook profile and would still like to submit, email your submission to TheXrts@gmail.com and we will feature your work on your behalf.

Submission Deadline is Sunday September 2nd, 2018 by midnight PST.

PRIZES

Submit by 9/2/18. Top 3 entrees get software keys.

The good people of MasterpieceVR have gifted our community with (3) Three Keys for the top 3 contenders! Submit by email or social media or group page. Instructions above.

Eli is the Co-Founder & Creative Director at 1933 Spirits which produces Mi Casa Tequila, winner of over a dozen international awards including 'The Double Gold Medal' at the San Francisco Spirits Competition. Eli is an alumni of the Accademia di Belle Arti in Florence Italy and San Francisco State's experimental Conceptual Arts program. Eli has managed bold creative endeavors and his work is featured in the book, Burning Man: Art on Fire by Jennifer Raiser. In 2018, Eli won 'Best Model' in a Sustainability Initiative sponsored by MasterpieceVR, Samsung and Microsoft.

Mez Breeze crafts XR art, experiences, games, experimental storytelling, VR Literature, and other genre-defying output. Mez’s VR Experience “Our Cupidity Coda” was a Finalist in the 2018 EX Experimental New Media Art Awards, and her “This Golden Stance” was showcased at the 2017 Las Ranetas International Festival of Virtual Reality. In 2018, Mez partnered with Microsoft, Samsung and MasterpieceVR for their “VR Influencers” Sustainability Initiative where VR Artists were invited to design models using a Windows Mixed Reality Headset. Mez currently serves an advisor to the Mixed Augmented Reality Art Research Organisation, in addition to being a co-founder of the XR Artists Collective, and a Senior Research Affiliate of the Humanities and Critical Code Studies Lab.

Kevin is an artist who’s worn many hats along the way. Having tackled storyboarding, animation, motion design, graphic recording and now all things XR, he has been able to work with a variety of clients like Google, Intuit, CBS, Warner Brothers, Leapfrog Toys, Stanford Medical, and Western Digital. Kevin has also worked as an animator on a number of films, including Richard Linklater’s “A Scanner Darkly.” He later went on to win an Emmy for his motion design work with The CW Network. He is a co-founder of the XR Artists Collective.

Boulder is an independent curator interested in the transdisciplinary intersections between media studies, gamification and philosophy. Convinced about the revolutionary potential of virtual and augmented reality, he focuses on the evangelization of these media. This is achieved through various means, including developing XR applications that encapsulate dioramas, first person experiences, interactive virtual environments, 3D scans and 360° videos. Boulder is also the founder of Highway101 Experiential TechGnology Community and co-founder of VR Café which popped up in Montreal and Paris as well as the curator of Jump Into VR Fest, a 3 day event dedicated to VR/AR that took place in NYC last year. He is currently managing digital content for media outlets such as Animation Nights NY, VR Related & The VR Bible.

Ian is a freelance, multi-disciplinary artist based in Scotland whose work is heavily influenced by popular sci-fi, fantasy and all things cyberpunk. Ian's ability to quickly visualize concepts in 3D space is nothing short of inspirational. In 2018 he won 'Best Model' twice in the Sustainability Initiative sponsored by MasterpieceVR, Samsung and Microsoft in addition to winning MasterpieceVR's Seasonal Holiday Competition. Today Ian is an active collaborator and member of the XR Artists Collective.

Scobot creates immersive, virtual reality art. Combining years of professional experience in painting, sculpture, and video art with game engine technology, his work allows viewers to explore and experience abstract compositions through virtual reality hardware. The Pacific Science Center (Seattle, WA) licensed his work for display and he is Artist-in-Residence at the University of Washington CoMotion Labs where he creates virtual reality artwork alongside AR/VR startups. Most recently his work "WORLD ONE" was an official selection for the 2018 Seattle International Film Festival.